Ten Years Gone
by Charlotte Clark
Summary: "Did you ever really need somebody, and really need 'em bad. Did you ever really want somebody, the best love you ever had." Ten Years Gone, Led Zeppelin. Eric and Sookie find themselves face to face again, ten years later...Happily Never After Contest


**Happily (N)Ever After Contest**

**Title: Ten Years Gone**

**Characters: Eric and Sookie**

**Word Count: 10717**

**Pen Name: Charlotte Clark**

**Beta: SouthernLady23**

**Summary: "Did you ever really need somebody, and really need 'em bad. Did you ever really want somebody, the best love you ever had." Ten Years Gone, Led Zeppelin. Eric and Sookie find themselves face to face again, ten years later.**

The dinner rush was in full swing as I made my way through the dining room, asking about refills on drinks as I made my way with a smile. I loved a busy night; it went by so much faster than the slow ones, and my tips would really help with the car payment.

I had worked part time as a waitress for the past two years. My full time job as the secretary for the town hall just didn't cut it, and Bill and I really needed help these days with the bills. His computer business was on the slow side with the down turn in the economy, and I knew he was taking it hard.

I married Bill eight years ago, when I was twenty-one. Everyone thought I was crazy for getting married so young, but I knew Bill was perfect for me. He was safe, stable, and the kindest man I had ever met- the complete opposite of every man I had ever gone out with before him.

The hostess let me know I had a new table and I walked over in their direction with my head down as I searched out my pad and pen.

"Hi, y'all..." the words died my throat as I met his eyes. The happy, genuine smile I wore was quickly replaced by my emergency grin.

"Wow, Sookie! I had no idea you worked here, it's been years," his eyes remained fixed on mine. I had never felt so vulnerable.

"Eric, my goodness! Yeah, it's been ten years. How have you been?" I replied, the grin still wide on my face as I couldn't seem to remove my eyes from his.

"I've been good, thanks for asking. This is my wife, Tara." He introduced the woman sitting across from him. She was petite with dark hair and dark eyes. I did a mental check of the name Tara in my head and remembered she had dated Eric before I did.

"Tara, so great to meet you. How long have y'all been married?" I asked as I absentmindedly turned the wedding band on my finger.

"It will be six years in August," she responded in a very unexcited voice.

"Well that's just terrific. I've been married eight years myself," I replied, stealing a glance in Eric's direction. "So, can I bring you a drink?"

To say I was caught by surprise would be the understatement of the decade. I had never expected to run into Eric, ever. He was the last guy I had a serious relationship with before Bill. He was the last man to see me naked, other than my husband, the last man I had had sex with before Bill. He was the last man I had loved before Bill.

I limited my interaction with him and his wife for the remainder of their dinner, only checking in when absolutely necessary. The awkward tension between the three of us was obvious, and it made me feel like I was suffocating.

When it was time to pay the bill, Eric grabbed the billfold off the table and placed it right next to him, making it impossible for his wife to pick it up.

"Eric, I said I was paying tonight," his wife whined, instantly rubbing me the wrong way. Her voice suddenly made me want to punch her.

"No, I've got it. You can pay next time, I promise," he replied, his voice lacking something I couldn't quite place.

I smiled at them and walked away, not wanting to be a part of their stupid argument. If that was the worse they had to deal with, God bless them.

I stood at the front waitress station and carefully watched as Eric pulled money from his wallet and placed it on the check. His wife got up, I assumed to use the bathroom, and then I watched him quickly scribble something on a piece of napkin.

_Seriously, he's writing her a note? No one is that happy! I bet they have stupid post-it notes all over their house with little scribbles on them..._

I pulled myself out of my cynical mind and smiled as I saw them getting their coats. I walked over to the table to say good-bye, not really sure why I cared enough to say it.

"It was great meeting you, Tara," I said, as sweetly as possible.

She nodded her head and smiled back, probably feeling as suffocated as I was.

"And, Eric, it was great seeing you too," I turned to him, again pulled into his stare.

"You too, Sookie," he said softly, and then surprised me with a hug, leaving me unsure of what to do. Out of instinct, I wrapped my arms around his huge frame and returned the hug.

I heard him inhale the smell of my hair, and I was instantly brought back ten years. I used to love it when every time he would hold me like that; it was like he was trying to breathe me in.

He handed me the billfold and walked away, leaving me both stunned and desperate to feel him again. I watched them leave and didn't realize I had been standing there for minutes, doing nothing.

"Um, excuse me Miss Thing? Who was that god, and why was he making googly eyes at you all night long?" Amelia's voice pulled me out of my fog.

"What are you talking about, googly eyes? He's an old friend, someone I used to go out with a long time ago," I answered, praying she would leave well enough alone.

"I don't think so! You're not getting away with minimal answers, not when he looks like that!" she practically screeched.

"His name is Eric. I don't understand what the big fuss is..." I tried to get the words out, but Amelia wouldn't have it.

"The big fuss is him! His eyes alone melted my panties right off my body, and his hair! I usually don't go for guys with longer hair, but wow! And since we're talking about how hot he is, I'm guessing about 6'3"?" She asked, needling me for more information.

"6'5" actually. He did look good though, I'm not imagining that, was I?" I mused, wondering if my mind was playing tricks on me.

"Like a god is more like it! Christ, Sookie, you were one lucky girl," she said laughing as she walked away, going to clean her last table of the night.

I opened the billfold, removing the money, not the least bit surprised by the excess tip he left. What did surprise me was the scribbled note I found under the money.

_Tink,_

_You have no idea how much I've missed you. Please, call me._

_E_

I stared at the napkin, my fingers trembling. He was the only person to ever call me Tink. My heart raced as I read his words over and over, my eyes fixing on the statement, and his phone number placed at the bottom of the napkin. The tears filled my eyes, threatening to spill over at any moment.

I did my side work in record time, needing to get out of the building and get home. It was just too much for me to take in. All the memories of Eric and I flooded my mind, breaking my heart all over again.

I did my best to act as normal as I could when I got home, happy to see Bill and share our day with each other. What I didn't share was seeing Eric again, or the phone number which was now concealed in my purse, practically calling my name.

Six days went by, and each and every one of those six days I took the napkin out of my bag and looked at the words, reading them over and over again. My emotions were all over the place, elated and overjoyed, to pissed and annoyed. Who the hell did he think he was, leaving me a note like this when his wife was along with him?

And that question-that one thought -was the reason I picked up my cell phone and dialed his number.

I looked at the digits on the screen, my finger hovering over the send button. What if he answered, what would I say? What if he didn't answer, would I leave a message? Twenty minutes passed before I finally took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and pressed the send button.

It felt like hours while the phone rang, and the urge to throw up filled my throat.

"Hello," his voice answered the phone, taking any brain function I had along with him.

"Um, hi, Eric? It's Sookie, Sookie Compton," I could feel my heart racing and the sweat forming on my lower back.

"Sookie Compton? I'm sorry, I don't know any Sookie Compton," he replied, causing me to go into panic mode.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry...I must have dialed the wrong number..." I could feel my face burning from embarrassment.

"Now Sookie Stackhouse I know. Wow, I know Sookie Stackhouse pretty well," I could almost hear his Eric grin coming across through the phone.

I couldn't help but let out a slightly annoyed, but relieved giggle as I listened to him.

"I didn't think you were going to call me. I was actually starting to think I was going to have to start coming to that restaurant on a nightly basis to get you to talk to me." His voice sounded so confident.

"Why? I mean, why did you leave me that note? Why are you so concerned with getting me to talk to you? We haven't spoke in ten years. Did you know I would be working at the restaurant when you came in? Did you plan this whole thing?" My irritation was clearly noticeable in my voice.

"No, I had no idea you worked there. We happened to be driving by and decided to stop for dinner. I knew you were still in Bon Temps and living at your gran's, but none of this was planned. I really think the rest of this conversation is best had face to face, rather than over the phone, don't you? There are so many things I want to say to you, and I really want to see you again," he said, his voice soft and almost pleading.

I knew meeting Eric would be wrong. We had been so many things to each other ten years ago, so much that I actually thought he was the man I was going to spend the rest of my life with. I had loved him more than anyone in my life, and when I broke up with him, it was the hardest thing I ever had to do.

"I'm not sure if that would be such a good idea, Eric. I don't think Bill would be very happy with me going out for a drink with you. Do you think Tara would be okay with this whole thing?" My brain knew it wasn't a good idea, but unfortunately my voice left room for argument.

"Come on, Tink, I'm not asking you to rob a bank with me. Just meet me for a drink so we can talk. I promise, I won't bite," he purred into the phone, causing my body to tremble.

Hearing him call me Tink, coupled with his famous, 'I don't bite line', pushed me over the edge. My heart was screaming to go to him, but my head was shouting 'no'. It was the perfect wrong versus right battle, and my heart was going to win.

"Fine, Eric. Where and when do you want to get together?" I asked, a little out of breath.

"I want to see you as soon as possible. You let me know when, and I'll make sure I can be there," he answered, a little too enthusiastically.

"Well, I have to work tonight, so that doesn't work. Bill is going out of town for the night tomorrow to some computer seminar in Jackson, but I'm working then too..."

"Can someone cover your shift? Can you get one of the other waitresses to work for you tomorrow night? We can meet in Monroe; I know a great place that's quiet," he cut me off, almost begging me to make tomorrow night work.

"Well, I guess I can try to ask Amelia if she could work for me. But, Monroe is almost an hour away, don't you think that's pretty far just to talk?" I asked, not really wanting to drive all over the state to meet him.

"Sookie, I don't think anyone will know who either one of us are in Monroe, and unfortunately, two people who are married, not to each other, having dinner together, would be quite the gossip for the people in this tiny town," he rationalized to me.

I felt a stab of pain in my heart knowing he was right. I had just agreed to meet my ex for dinner, and we were both married to other people. We certainly would be the talk of the town if anyone from around these parts saw us.

"You're right. Let me make sure Amelia can work for me tomorrow night and then I'll let you know," I conceded, hating how right he was about our meeting.

"Tink, I'm really glad you called, I've been thinking about you so much lately. I hope you can work everything out for tomorrow. I've really missed you," he said, bringing tears to my eyes and taking my voice away.

"Me too," I replied. Was my reply to wanting to work tomorrow night out, or was it to the fact that I really missed him too? "I'll call you when I know, okay? I'll talk to you later," I finished my goodbye, feeling empty inside.

"Until then, bye, Tink," he answered, forcing the tears I had been holding back to finally spill over.

What the hell did I just do? What the fuck was I thinking, agreeing to meet him for a drink? Eric and I were explosive when we were together, at least we were ten years ago! It was complete love at first sight, for both of us, and it was the most intense relationship I had ever had.

Everything Eric and I did together was heated. The way we talked to each other, the way we fought, the way we made love. We were explosive right from the start, and I had never experienced anything like it since then. Just thinking about how we used to be with each other made my body ache to be near him. The man had brought out so much passion in me, passion I never knew I had.

When I met Eric, I was twenty years old. My gran had passed away the year before and I should have been back at Louisiana State, but just never re-registered for classes. My car needed some work done, so I drove to the auto shop just outside of Bon Temps, hoping my piece of shit car didn't cost more than what it was worth to fix.

I remember walking into the garage and looking around, wondering where everyone was. Then he appeared, carrying some motor part, grease on his hands, as confident as could be. It was as though time stood still in that moment. My eyes met his and I knew I was instantly in love. The world around us stopped, and I knew my life would never be the same.

I sat in my car and looked at the cell phone still in my hand. I couldn't believe I was actually going to go through with this. I hadn't seen or heard from him in ten years, and it was suddenly like I couldn't stand the idea of not seeing him or talking to him. I ran my hands through my hair and tried to calm myself down, knowing I needed to get back inside the town offices since my lunch break was over. I thought about how great Eric had looked the other night, and how I suddenly felt so much older. My waist wasn't as tiny as it used to be, and my eyes were certainly looking older. Ten years was a long time to not see anyone.

The rest of the day dragged by, my mind only able to focus on Eric and everything we ever did or said to one another. I was having a walk down memory lane, not at all able to focus on my actual work duties. When four o'clock came, I practically sprinted out of the office, knowing I needed to get home to see Bill. I was the closer tonight, and he would most likely be asleep when I got home.

I pulled up to our farmhouse, the home I inherited from my gran, and ran inside. I had half an hour to get changed and say goodbye to my husband before I needed to be at the restaurant.

"Bill, honey? I'm home," I yelled, tossing my keys and purse on the kitchen counter.

"I'm upstairs sweetheart," Bill yelled down.

I grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge and went to find him. He was sitting in the office, looking over the agenda for the seminar he would be attending the next day. It all seemed so boring to me, but it was what he loved.

"I'm going to be pretty late tonight since I'm the last one off. I'll try to be real quiet if you're asleep when I get home," I said, kissing him on the cheek.

"It's okay, sweetheart. I'm hoping you'll be able to quit this job fairly soon so you won't need to worry about coming home so late. You know I hate you driving home by yourself at night anyway," he answered, looking at me sweetly.

"I know, but I don't mind it, and the extra money goes a long way. What time are you leaving tomorrow?" I asked, my mind immediately thinking about where I would be.

"I plan on leaving around 7am. I don't expect traffic to be too bad, and I'll be able to check into the hotel where the conference is at a decent time. Are you going to be okay without me for a night?" he asked, smirking as he did.

"Bill Compton, you know perfectly well I can take care of myself. But, I will miss you. I want you to call me the minute you check in and let me know you got there safe," I said, swatting his chest playfully.

"Of course I will," Bill said, kissing me softly as I moved to go get changed for work.

The rest of my night was uneventful. I successfully talked Amelia into covering my shift for me, offering to cover a Saturday night for her in the future. On my break, I grabbed my cell phone and made the call to Eric, letting him know I was all set for the following evening.

"Hi, it's me. I just wanted to let you know I was able to get Amelia to work for me tomorrow night, so I guess we're all set," I said, nervous as could be.

"Great, I'm so happy you could work it out. Can you meet me at the service station on Route 12 around six?" Eric asked.

"The service station, do you mean Le Clerq's, the station you used to work at?" I knew exactly what station it was, the place we had first met.

"Yes, I figured we could meet there and then drive over to Monroe in one car," he said, not a hint of hesitation in his voice.

"Sure, Le Clerq's at 6 p.m. I'll meet you there. See you tomorrow," I said, full of nervousness and giddiness.

I hung up the phone and ran back inside, anxious to get the night over and for tomorrow to start. As expected, I didn't get home until after 1 a.m. Bill was sound asleep in bed, and I was careful not to wake him as I moved about the room.

As hard as I tried, I just couldn't sleep. My mind kept playing my entire relationship with Eric over and over again. From the moment we first met, to the last time I saw him. Every kiss, every fight, every 'I love you' was on my mind, and not even closing my eyes could make it stop.

The next thing I knew, the alarm was going off and it was 8 a.m. I felt as though I hadn't slept at all. Bill was gone, but left a note telling me how much he would miss me and how much he loved me. I read the note a few times and smiled, knowing he meant every word of what was written. Bill was a great husband, and he loved me with every bit of himself. I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by guilt. Here I was, reading my husband's words of love, yet all I could think about was seeing Eric later that night.

I got ready for work and grabbed a cup of coffee as I ran out of the house. I prayed today would pass faster than the day before. My nerves were on high alert, and my stomach was in knots. I couldn't remember the last time I felt so anxious about anything.

My cell phone started ringing and I thought it was Bill calling me to let me know he got to Jackson safely, but I was completely surprised when I heard Eric's voice.

"Hi Tink," he spoke, his voice calming my nerves.

"Eric, hi...what's going on?" I asked, unsure of the reason for his call.

"I just wanted to hear your voice and let you know I couldn't wait to see you," he responded, almost making me whimper at his words.

"That's so sweet. I'm excited to see you tonight, too," I answered, shocked at my honesty.

"I'm happy to hear you aren't thinking of ways to get out of our date," he laughed.

Date? Oh. My. God. Was I going on a date? No, I'm married to Bill, and married women do not go on dates with other men. My heart raced in my ears.

"Right, but this isn't a date, Eric. This is just us getting together for a drink and talk and catch up. We aren't going out on a date," I snapped, a little more moody than what was necessary.

"Of course not, Tink. I didn't mean to say date, since we clearly aren't dating. Anyway, just wanted to say hello and can't wait to see you," he sounded defeated.

"I'll see you at six," I said, trying to sound upbeat and excited.

I looked at the clock and groaned, wishing it was later than 11 a.m. I really needed to have to ability to fast forward through the rest of my day. I had no idea how I would get any work done with my nerves the way they were. I only hoped Andy Bellefleur didn't need anything important handled for the town.

About an hour later, Bill called to let me know he was all checked in and excited to learn about the newest technology in data processing. We shared our, I love you's, and, I'll miss you's, and once again I was back to watching the clock.

A very long afternoon later, I was rushing out the door of the town office, running towards my car. My heart was beating faster than it ever had before, and I was so full of anticipation. I raced into the house, heading right to the shower. In my head I knew I told Eric we were in no way going out on a date, but it felt just like that, like I was getting ready to go on a first date.

I was torn between wearing something nice, or something casual. I didn't want to look like I was trying to dress up, but if dressed down, and we went somewhere nice, I'd feel really out of place. So, I decided I would go with the safest choice; a linen skirt and black, short sleeved cotton sweater. Instead of my fancier black sandals, I wore a pair of flip flops.

Since it was the end of May, I had been able to start working on my tan and was pretty satisfied with the way my skin looked in the outfit I had decided to wear. I pulled half of my long blond hair back off my face, and allowed the rest to air dry, giving way to the natural wave I had hated as a little girl. I had never been a fan of make-up, so all I needed to do was put a little pink lip gloss on and I was ready to go.

The drive over to Le Clerq's seemed to go by in a flash. Before I knew it, I was pulling in to the service station. I had no idea what kind of car Eric drove, so I just pulled into the closest parking spot and turned the engine off. I tried to calm my nerves, but my body was too wound up.

About thirty seconds after I pulled in, a red SUV pulled into the lot. The truck pulled up right next to me and I could see it was Eric. I watched him get out of the vehicle and come around to my car, opening my door for me.

"Sookie!" he gushed, reaching for my hand.

I looked him up and down, forgetting how good looking he actually was. He looked fantastic, wearing a pair of perfectly fitting jeans and a blue t-shirt. The second I placed my hand in his, accepting his help out of my car, I felt it. The same feeling I had felt ten years ago, the feeling of electricity which shot through my entire body.

I looked up into his eyes, almost positive he had felt the shock as much as I had.

"Hi there, you look great," I said, not thinking about my words.

"So do you- amazing actually," he replied, giving me a predatory glance which made my body explode with fire.

We walked over to his truck, and he opened the passenger side door for me, making sure I didn't need help getting into the oversized truck. I was overwhelmed by the scent which surrounded me. He was everywhere, invading every sense I had.

As soon as he was in the driver's seat, he looked over at me and smiled -his real, genuine smile.

"I can't believe you're really here," he said, and then started the truck.

The drive to Monroe was a mixture of awkward tension and comfortable silence. We talked about little things, and he brought up how he used to constantly buy me those roses from gas stations he would stop at. The roses which were always displayed right next to the chewing tobacco. We laughed at how cheesy it was, but how every time I smiled, loving how sweet he truly was. I found myself looking over at him more than I should have, admiring the man I hadn't laid eyes on in a decade. How could I have just walked away from him?

About an hour later, we pulled in to a tiny shopping plaza. He parked all the way at the end of the practically deserted lot. The few streetlights which were there were broken, shards of glass shining on the ground beneath them. I looked around, suddenly very uncomfortable with how secluded it seemed.

"It's a great place, fantastic food and drinks, and not a lot of people," he said, noticing my apprehension.

"Okay, I'm going to trust you on this one," I laughed.

"Would I ever lie to you, Tink?" He asked, not realizing the pain his words caused.

We silently walked into the restaurant, which looked a lot like a hole in the wall. My mind in overdrive as I thought about his words and his promise of never lying. A lie is the reason I left him and never looked back. I never told him the actual reason I was leaving; I was too angry at the time.

We were greeted by an older woman who had put the bleach to her hair one too many times. She smiled brightly at Eric, batting her eyes in excess.

"Nice to see you again, Ginger. Can my friend and I have your table in the far back corner?" he asked, giving her his award winning smile.

"Of course, Eric. Can I bring you over some drinks?" she asked, completely oblivious to my presence.

He looked to me and I nodded, knowing he would most likely remember I did enjoy a few beers.

"We'll have a couple of drafts, Ginger, thanks," he replied, smiling at me as I took my seat in the booth.

I watched as he settled himself across from me, never taking his eyes off of mine as he made himself comfortable. I had forgotten how blue his eyes were, and in that moment, I felt like they were burning a hole right through me.

"So..." we both said at the same time, laughing as the tension seemed to disappear. He nodded and I spoke first.

"So, congratulations on getting married. Your wife seems like a nice girl," I said, mentally cursing her in my head.

"Yeah, Tara's great. So, you actually married that Bill guy? God, he must be boring," he said, smirking at me as he did.

"Bill is a fantastic man and not the least bit boring," I replied, suddenly feeling the need to defend my husband's honor.

"Sure, fair enough-" he was interrupted by Ginger bringing our beers over and still batting her eyes in Eric's direction.

"So, I guess it's better to come right out with it. Eric, why the hell did you leave me that note? Don't you think that was a little inappropriate, especially with your wife there with you?" I asked, terrified of what his response might be.

I watched as he took a deep breath and a big gulp of his beer. He ran his fingers through his hair, a habit I had learned he did when nervous.

"Sookie," he said, his voice soft and full of emotion as he looked right through me. "I have thought about you every day for the past ten years. I can't tell you the number of times I went to look you up, only to stop myself at the last minute. I have never been able to let you go," he looked away, like he was trying to hide his emotions from me.

The air I was breathing rushed out of my chest. I heard him speaking, but his words echoed in my head. Did he just tell me he's never gotten over me? What the fuck am I supposed to do with that information?

"Wow, Eric...I have no idea what to say. You're married, and so am I," I answered, afraid to look into his eyes and see the emotions which lay there.

"I'm only married because I knew I could never have you. Don't hate me for saying this, but you pushed me to Tara. After you left, I ended up getting back together with her a few months later, and I knew there was no chance for us."

"Wait, you got back together? Is your wife the same Tara you dated right before me, the same Tara we used to argue about because you thought it was okay to still be friends with her?" I asked, anger apparent in my voice.

"Yes, but that is all she and I should have ever been- friends. She is a great person, but I'm not in love with her, Tink. I've only loved one person my entire life, and I'm looking at her right now."

"Eric, I'm married. I've been married for eight years, and I'm happy," I said, feeling the tears sting my eyes as his words fully settled in my mind.

"No, Sookie, you're not happy. If you were happy you never would have called me, and we wouldn't be sitting here right now. You married him because you were still running away from me, and now you just don't know the difference between happy and just being content," he snapped.

I could feel my anger rise, and my cheeks flush.

"How dare you tell me if I'm happy or not? You haven't spoken to me in ten years so you sure as hell don't know the inner details of my life, Eric Northman! You are such an arrogant asshole, I can't believe I even agreed to meet you!" I yelled, making my way out of the booth, determined to leave him there.

As soon as I was to my feet, Eric was in front of me, wrapping his long arms around my shaking body. As angry as I was with him, just the feel of having his body this close again made me want to cling to him.

"I'm sorry, I just have so many things to say to you. Please, don't leave...I can't let you walk home from here," he softly laughed.

I looked up at his tall frame, my cheeks wet from crying. The smartest thing to do would have been to just get the hell out of there and get a taxi home, but, I retook my seat.

"You don't know what it was like for me, Eric. Leaving you and moving on was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I cried for weeks, wanting nothing more than to go back to you and make everything okay, but I couldn't," I said, wiping my nose and cheeks with my napkin.

"Why? Why did you leave me, and how were you able to move on so quickly? How many months passed before you were dating Bill?" he asked, anger and sadness lacing his voice.

"I couldn't take the lying, Eric. I knew you were seeing other women, and it killed me. Knowing I was at home, waiting for you, but you were out doing who knows what? It just got to be too much," I sobbed, not caring about the way I looked.

"You thought I was cheating on you? Sookie, why didn't you ever say anything or ask me about it?" he shot back, clearly upset with my reasoning.

"Because I couldn't handle being lied to! What would you have done, admitted to everything and then expected us to go right back to normal?"

"Sookie, I wasn't cheating on you. I never cheated on you, ever!" he shouted, reaching across the table to grab my hand.

"Then where were you all those nights? Why were you pushing me away and making me feel like I didn't mean anything to you?" I cried, desperate for some sort of answers.

"Pam; I was with Pam," he said, dropping his head.

"You were with your sister? Why the hell couldn't you tell me that, and why the cold shoulder?" His answer did little to comfort me.

"I needed to have her committed, and I was staying with her at the hospital to try and make her more comfortable. I didn't want her to be alone, and I didn't want anyone to know. Tink, my sister and my mother had psychotic breakdowns, I didn't want you knowing about my family's craziness," he said, looking at me with eyes shining with unshed tears.

I sat there silently for a moment, sipping on my beer and trying to process the information he he'd just told me. I had spent the last ten years of my life thinking the man I had loved above all others had betrayed me. If he only knew how much the truth would have made a difference.

"Eric, if you had told me the truth, so many things would have been different," I whispered, looking him deep in the eyes.

"You never gave me the chance. One minute you were there, and the next you were gone. It was like you were a ghost. Everywhere I looked was a reminder of you. Your shampoo in the shower, your perfume on my clothes-even your laugh haunted me. You were all around me, but I could never touch you. I did everything I could to get over you when I realized you were never coming back. I tried to drink you out of my system and I tried to fuck you out of my system. Nothing worked, because nothing brought you back to me," he stated, his voice heavy with grief.

Hearing him say he tried to fuck me out of his system caused an unexpected surge of jealousy to course through my body. I hated the idea of him with another woman, never mind multiple women. He must have picked up on my jealousy, because he quickly started to try and put me at ease.

"Tink, none of them were you. As hard as I tried to get over you, I found that I was looking for a replacement you. Sookie, I love you, I always have and I always will," he declared.

My head was spinning. Never had I thought Eric was still in love with me. My heart was racing and I jumped up out of the booth, suddenly afraid to be with him. Afraid because my emotions and my heart were telling me I had never stopped loving him either.

"We have to go. I think we should leave now..." I mumbled, walking towards the exit.

I assumed Eric paid for our beers, and he was quickly behind me.

"Sookie, I'm sorry if I upset you. I just thought it was better to tell you the truth," he apologized, forcing a new level of anger to erupt inside of me.

"Don't apologize to me, Eric! Telling the truth is what you should have done from the start, it's what you should have done ten years ago! Do you know how different our lives might have been if you had told me what was going on back then? Eric, I started dating Bill because he was the type of guy who would never hurt or betray me. He was the kind of man who would love me for his entire life, and wouldn't one day decide to just push me away! I married Bill because he was the exact opposite of you! I knew he would never hurt me!" I sobbed at my confession, never realizing just how badly I had wanted to try and get over the hurt which Eric had caused me.

Sobs racked my body as I stood there and realized how screwed up the past ten years had been. One poor decision by Eric to hide his sister's condition from me, and one poor decision by me to leave without an explanation. Those two factors were the basis of our lives for the past ten years.

I stood there in the freakishly quiet parking lot, almost near the truck, and finally gave in as Eric pulled my body to his, holding me as I cried over everything. I cried over our failed relationship, over the love I apparently still had for him, and the husband I had married in order to forget about him. I cried for the life Eric and I could have had, but was sabotaged by our own selfish, stubborn selves.

"Tell me you still love me. I can feel it Sookie, I know it's still there," he whispered into my ear, his warm breath on my skin causing me to press even closer to him.

"I love you, Eric. I loved you the first time I saw you in Le Clerq's, and I love you now," I cried, angry he was right again.

He placed his finger under my trembling chin and brought his face to mine. I hadn't kissed anyone but my husband in ten years. He pressed his lips to mine, softly and tentatively. His hands brushed the hair from my face as his mouth hovered over mine. I felt his tongue dart out and graze my bottom lip, bringing a gasp from my throat.

I pulled him closer to me and deepened our kiss, allowing his tongue to meet mine. The past ten years melted away and it was as though I was 21 again. He still felt the same and ignited my body in a way no other man had. I dragged my fingers through his blond hair, remembering what it was like to pull on it as we made love.

"My God, Sookie. I can't believe I have you in my arms again. I've thought about this moment so many times, but I never thought it would actually happen. I can't get enough of you," he whispered as his mouth burned a trail down my neck and jaw line.

My panties had officially melted off my body, and the need to feel him became overwhelming. I had gone without his touch for the last ten years, and in that moment, my body wanted a reminder. I moaned and gasped with every touch of his tongue to my skin. As awful as it was, I couldn't help but think how Bill had never made me feel this hot.

I felt the cold of the truck door pressed against my back, not even realizing we had been slowly walking backwards, and used it a leverage to hitch my leg up around his thigh. We were like teenagers, making out for the better part of an hour, right there for all to see. If the restaurant went up in flames at that moment, it wouldn't have mattered, nothing mattered except the two of us, not my husband, not his wife, and not our past mistakes.

His hands massaged my leg as I wrapped it further around his hip, getting more and more aroused the longer we kissed and touched. His fingers were dangerously close to the one spot I desperately wanted him to touch. Each pass of his fingertips on my inner thigh caused me to moan in anticipation.

"If we don't stop, I'm going to fuck you right here in this parking lot," he whispered breathlessly in my ear, sucking and biting on my earlobe as he did.

I had been such a good girl the past ten years. Bill was a very vanilla kind of guy, boring sex in boring places. The craziest we had ever gotten was sex in the living room instead of the bedroom. Our sex life was predictable- sex on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday. Eric and I on the other hand, had always had the passion and the adventure. We used to have sex ever day, multiple times a day, and anywhere the mood struck. Right then, I was ready for anything.

"Then don't stop," I whispered back in his ear, giving his neck a bite of my own as he gave me a wicked glare.

In an instant, my panties were pushed aside and his fingers plunged inside of me, bringing a shocked gasp from my body. I bit my lip, trying to suppress the sounds of pleasure which were threatening to escape. I had forgotten just how long his fingers were, and the feeling was amazing.

"Oh, God, Eric. Please, don't stop," I begged as he drove his fingers inside of me to the brink of insanity.

I grabbed his face, bringing his mouth back to mine for a scorching kiss. I could feel my orgasm building, but didn't want to come without Eric inside of me. We had always been able to satisfy each other, and usually at the same time, and I wanted nothing more than to do that right then.

"Eric, we need to get in the truck. I want you to fuck me right now, and I want to scream your name when I come," I breathed, barely able to form the words.

He withdrew his fingers and quickly placed them in his mouth to make sure he tasted me.

With no words and without breaking eye contact, he opened the back door to the large truck and got in, helping me after he sat down. Our mouths met again, unable to stay away from each other. My hands worked the button and zipper of his jeans, anxious to feel his impressive length once again.

As soon as the zipper was down, his massive erection sprung free and I licked my lips in anticipation. Too many years had gone by since I had taken him inside of my body, and the apprehension was apparent.

"Don't worry, lover, I won't bite...not unless you ask me to," he laughed, knowing all too well he used that same line on me on our first date.

I wrapped my hand around him, stroking him and trying to get reacquainted with something I had missed for the last decade. I worked his long, hard length with my hand, admiring the way his face contorted in pleasure. His moans burned me from the inside out, making me hotter and wetter than I already was.

"I need you now, it's been too long. I need to be inside of you," he panted, pulling me towards his body and tearing my panties away from my body in the same motion. The feeling of the fabric being yanked from my body shocked me, eliciting a gasp.

I met his eyes and saw the man I had loved and missed for so long. I straddled his lap and let him rub himself slowly up and down my center, coating himself in my arousal. I lowered myself down around him, and it all seemed like slow motion. He filled me, inch by beautiful inch, reminding me of just how much of a connection we once shared. Once he was completely sheathed inside of me, I paused and allowed ourselves to take in the feeling. Our eyes locked on each other, knowing this was bigger than the both of us could ever have imagined.

"This is the beginning," he whispered.

His mouth was on me, nipping and kissing my throat. I started to rock my hips, Eric's name falling from my lips as he took hold of my waist. Soon we became frenzied, trying to capture the past ten years. Our bodies thrashed together as we made the most of the small space we had.

My name echoed throughout the truck as he repeated it like a chant. The windows completely fogged in as our breathing had become so heavy. I pulled at his hair, remembering how much he had loved that.

He brought his hand to my clit and started rubbing small circles, bringing me closer and closer to my release.

"Are you going to come for me, Sookie. I've waited ten years to watch you come again," he moaned, clearly fighting his own release.

"Oh God, come with me, Eric. Come with me now," I breathed, looking in his eyes as I felt the most intense orgasm wash over me.

Like we had done so many times in the past, Eric and I came to our release at the same time, each one shouting the others name. The sweat poured off of our bodies as we collapsed on one another. Neither one of us said anything as we lay tangled in each other's arms. My mind was racing with what I had just done, and soon I was crying, the tears soaking Eric's t-shirt.

"What's wrong, did I hurt you?" he asked, his voice full of concern as he sat up, forcing me to look at him, but still not breaking our connection. Neither one of us ready to separate our bodies.

"Of course not...it's just, what we did...we're both married, Eric. I just cheated on my husband, I'm a terrible person!" I sobbed, racked with emotions.

"Stop, you don't get to regret what we just did. Sookie, I haven't felt that good in ten years, and I know you felt it too. You are not a terrible person...you're the best person I have ever known. You're the only person who has ever loved me completely, and you are the only woman I will ever love. You don't get to run away from me again!" he shouted, taking my head in his hands to ensure I was seeing how serious he was.

"But what about Bill and Tara? There are other people involved in this situation, Eric, it isn't just our lives we need to think about," I asked, still unable to stop crying.

"We tell them the truth. It's going to be hard, and it's going to be a terrible thing to do, but you need to know, I will not let you go. I love you, and you love me, that's what's important here," he pleaded, kissing my forehead softly.

"You really think we can do this, start over again ten years later?" I asked, pondering a future with the love of my life.

"I don't think we have a choice - it's our destiny. You're mine, Tink, and I'm never letting you go again. Just imagine, someday we'll have little, blond babies," he whispered, pulling me back into his chest.

The mention of babies brought a new emotion bubbling to the surface. I had wanted to get pregnant for the past five years, but it was never the right time, and Bill always had some reason or another for waiting. In that moment, my heart knew I hadn't had children yet because I was meant to wait for Eric to come back into my life. He was meant to be the father of my children, and it seemed deep down he knew it too.

"Okay," I whispered.

"Okay?" he asked, his voice slightly confused.

I nodded my head to reassure him. "Until last week, I hadn't realized just how much I had missed you. Now, the idea of not being with you again is terrifying. I love Bill, I really do, but I don't love him the way a wife is supposed to love her husband. He is a good man, and he doesn't deserve what I'm going to do to him, but in the long run, it's probably for the best. I don't love him the way that I love you, and I won't ever love anyone as much as you," I said, brushing the hair away from his face as I softly kissed his lips.

"Woman, you have no idea how happy you've made me. I love you, more than you know, and can't believe it took ten years to get you back. As soon as we're able to, I want you to marry me. I told you ten years ago we would be married one day, and I intend on making that happen," he said, wrapping me in his arms.

"Slow down, Eric! We have a long road ahead of us, you could be sick of me in a month," I teased, secretly elated he would want to marry me.

"I wouldn't be sick of you in a thousand years. If it takes me the rest of my life, I'll make sure you know everyday just how much I love you and how thankful I am to have you back," he said, bringing my face to his for a soft, tender kiss.

As we drove home, we made plans about the future and set a timetable so we could end our marriages. The knot in my stomach was debilitating, but the end result would be more than worth it. It was decided that three weeks was the limit to tell our spouses we were leaving. Once that happened, we would decide what the next move was.

In my case, we were living in my grandmother's house. I owned it as it had been left to me in her will. Even though I was the one wanting to end my marriage, I wasn't about to let Bill have a piece of my family's history.

Eric and Tara owned a house together, and he said he would let her have the house. We never discussed living arrangements after the break-up's. Would Eric go rent an apartment, or would he buy a house? Would he want to move in with me? All these questions were still hovering around us.

About a week later, and many secret phone calls and meetings with Eric, I decided to bite the bullet, and have the talk with Bill. I took the night off from the restaurant, calling in sick and surprising Bill with my presence at home.

It was the hardest conversation of my life, admitting to my husband of eight years I was in love with another man and I wanted a divorce. Of course, there was anger and threats of violence against Eric, but when I refused to tell Bill who the other man was, he quickly went in the opposite direction, making promises of starting a family.

Several hours and tears later, he finally accepted the fact that I was set in my decision. It would have been an easier thing to do if Bill had done something terrible, like abused me or cheated on me. His only fault was he wasn't Eric, and that was something he could never change.

He agreed to move out of the farmhouse, and promised not to try and take it from me in the divorce. Even at the end of our marriage, he was still being a gentleman. My heart broke for the pain I caused him, but I knew there was someone out there who would love him the way he deserved to be loved.

The next day, I called Eric to let him know I had officially ended my marriage. The relief in his voice was apparent, and he admitted he had told Tara the day after we had met for drinks. He just didn't want to seem like he was pressuring me, so he kept it quiet.

"So, that's it? We're both free to do whatever we want?" he asked, sounding like a boy.

"Um, no. We both still need to be officially divorced, but we can talk and hang out, and stuff...," I teased.

"Stuff, huh? How about I meet you at your place in an hour and we can see about this stuff?" he asked, the mischief clear in his voice.

"I think that's a great idea," I said, more than excited about having Eric in my own bed.

"I'll be there as soon as I can, Tink," he said, just as excited as me.

"Eric..." I gasped. "I love you, more than you'll ever know."

"I love you too, Sookie. I can't wait to start our future together, I'll see you soon," he said as he hung up the phone.

I quickly showered and tidied up the house. It was going to be strange having another man here, but Eric wasn't just another man. I decided right then I would ask Eric to move in with me. I hated the idea of him being somewhere else. If we were going to move ahead with our future, we were going full speed ahead.

I glanced at the clock and my heart started to flutter, seeing Eric would be arriving within minutes. I knew it was a good sign he could still make me feel this giddy after all these years. We had a very happy life ahead of us, and I was going to make every day count.

I sat on the couch and waited, ready to jump on him the moment he walked through the door. My mind was day dreaming about making love to him right on the kitchen floor because we couldn't even wait to get into the house.

Before I knew it, twenty minutes had passed and he still wasn't there. If there was one thing Eric was, it was punctual. I grabbed the phone and called his cell, expecting him to answer with some excuse as to why he was running late.

The phone rang incessantly, but he didn't answer. I left a message, asking him to call me and let me know he was still coming. I waited another fifteen minutes and called again, still there was no answer.

At this point I became panicked. Where the hell was he? Why wasn't he answering his phone or calling me back? Did he change his mind and decide he didn't want to leave Tara? My mind raced with scenarios which all involved him and Tara in bed together as I paced anxiously.

An hour and a half after he was supposed to be at my house my phone rang. I jumped right out of my skin, my nerves on complete edge.

"Eric? Oh my God, where are you, are you okay?" I asked, not even allowing the person calling to say anything or bothering to look at the caller ID.

"Eric? Sookie, it's Bill. I was calling to make sure you were home and not out getting gas or something. Le Clerq's out on Route 12 was robbed a little while ago, and the local police are saying there was a fatality. I got a terrible feeling, and I wanted to make sure you were safe," he said, speaking slowly and tenderly.

"Le Clerq's was robbed?" I asked, all the blood in my body draining into my toes.

"Yes, I'm sure it will be on the news shortly," he responded.

"I have to go," I cried, dropping the phone and grabbing my keys.

I don't remember driving the fifteen minutes to the service station. I don't remember all the police cars and the police tape I saw as I pulled as close as I could get to the station. I don't remember getting out of my car and running as fast as I could towards the crime scene.

What I do remember was seeing a red SUV parked in the lot, in the same place it was parked just about a week before. I do remember hearing a police officer saying the name, Northman, as he spoke to the coroner who was on site. I do remember the guttural scream which erupted from my soul the moment I put everything together.

I collapsed to the ground, police officers swarming me, unsure of my reasoning for being there. I screamed Eric's name, determined to wake him up from whatever state he was currently in.

"Ma'am, are you hurt?" a young officer asked me, his confusion showing.

"Please, can you tell me if Eric Northman is okay? Can you please tell me if Eric Northman was in that shop?" I begged, grabbing the officer's shirt as I sobbed.

"Ma'am, perhaps you should come down to the station, talk with the Sheriff," he deflected my question.

His face gave everything away. I let him escort me to his cruiser and accepted the ride to the Renard Parish station. I was greeted by Bud Dearborne, a well known face in our parts.

"Mrs. Compton..." he started.

"Please, call me Sookie. My husband and I recently separated. Just tell me the truth, was Eric there?" I asked, my face puffy from crying.

"Well, Sookie, I'm only telling you this because I know Andy so well, and because I've known you since you were knee high. Mr. Northman was in the service station when the assailant came in the door. According to the surveillance tapes, Mr. Northman had just made a purchase of all the station's floral offerings, and was getting ready to exit. The assailant came in with his weapon drawn, and demanded money from the cashier and Mr. Northman. After he collected all of the money, he asked Mr. Northman for the flowers he had purchased, and apparently, Mr. Northman felt the need to hold on to them. When Mr. Northman refused, the assailant opened fire, hitting Mr. Northman three times..."

"Floral offerings?" I interrupted, shaking my head back and forth trying to understand what I was hearing.

"Yes, the station sold roses by the register," the Sheriff replied, confused by my question.

"No! Is he dead? Is Eric dead?" I screamed, knowing in my heart he was gone.

"Yes, Sookie, he was killed instantly," he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he told me the morbid truth.

I sobbed an ungodly sob. My heart had shattered into a million pieces in an instant. I gasped for air, unsure if I wanted to breathe or die suffocating.

"Please, no! Please...please tell me it's not true! We have a life waiting for us...we have a future!" I screamed at no one.

The rest of the night was a blur. The night turned into a day, the day turned into a week, and the week turned into a month. I couldn't face anyone and I couldn't get out of bed. He was gone, and I couldn't ever hold him in my arms again. I didn't go to the funeral, unable to face his friends and Tara, knowing someone would know I was the other woman.

Five weeks after his murder I received a small package in the mail. I didn't recognize the writing, so I was curious as to who was sending me something. I opened the padded envelope and out fell a black velvet box and a letter.

I opened the box and saw a stunning diamond engagement ring. It was obviously an antique and very well cared for. It was absolutely beautiful- perfect in every way. I gazed at the ring, dumbfounded as to who would be mailing me something like this.

I finally looked to the letter and saw my name written across the envelope. I opened it and started to read, unsure of what message it would contain.

_Sookie,_

_This ring was found in Eric's pocket the day he died. For weeks I wondered why he had this with him, but then I found the inscription and knew it was meant for you. Realizing who Tink was has been a challenge, but I finally was able to do it. I won't lie and tell you I'm not devastated by what happened between Eric and I, but I do know he would want you to have it. I loved him with all my heart, but he loved you more. _

_Tara_

Tears fell from my eyes as I repeatedly read the note, trying my best to hold down the bile rising in the back of my throat. My stomach churned and my constant exhaustion had become routine these past few weeks, and I could already feel the emotional breakdown starting just from reading Tara's note. When the nausea finally passed, and my eyes were clear enough to actually see, I picked the ring up out of its box and read the inscription on the fine, platinum band.

_Tink-This is the beginning, E_

I slipped the ring on my finger, vowing to never take it off. I promised I would never run from him again, and not even in death would I abandon him. I was his, and he was mine, until we could meet again. Ten years had felt like an eternity...now, without him, I would find out what an eternity really was.


End file.
